London Olympics 2012 - Mixed bag for Irish sailors

by ISA on 6 Aug 2012 At the London Olympic 2012 Sailing Competition, Peter O’Leary and David Burrows have finished 10th in the medal race and 10th overall in the Star class. Although not the results they had hoped for entering the Games, it is still the best results Ireland has ever had in the Star class.

The pair were ninth overall beginning the medal race this afternoon but due to their points on the leader board, they were not be in contention for a medal. In what was a very closely fought race, the favourites and 2008 Olympic gold medallists, Percy and Simpson (GBR) finished in eighth place and subsequently only won silver. The overall win, and ultimately gold medal, went to the Swedish pairing of Loof and Salminen while Scheidt and Prada (BRA) took the bronze.

ISA Performance Director, James O’Callaghan remarked 'While it is the best result we have achieved in the Star class it is still disappointing. We came here hoping to be fighting for a medal. That plan has not worked out in a way we could have foreseen'.

On the 49er course, Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern had their penultimate day of fleet racing. The pair finished yesterday in 11th overall, just outside the top 10 for the first time in the competition. The pressure was on them to perform well today ahead of tomorrow’s final two fleet races and medal race qualification. And they did just that.

Conditions in Weymouth were the lightest they’ve been during the Games, with winds of just seven knots at times. Race 12 got off to a good start with the pair in 10th but they continued to progress steadily up the fleet to finish in seventh place, moving them up to 10th overall.

Race 13 got off to a similar start with the duo in 11th but they had slipped back to 16th by the second mark. Knowing that they had to maintain their position in the top 10 to earn a place in the medal race the two boys dug deep and overtook three fellow competitors to finish in 13th and hold on to their spot as 10th overall.

'Ryan and Matt are just one day away from achieving their Olympic goal; to sail in the medal race. There are only four points between them and 13th place so they really need two great results tomorrow to hold on to their position' remarked O’Callaghan.

Annalise Murphy, who has qualified for the Laser Radial medal race tomorrow, is on a rest day. The top 10 sailors will be competing in the double points race which begins at 13.00 tomorrow in Weymouth. Murphy is currently in third place but incredibly only one point separates the top four sailors. Leader Xu (CHN) is on 33 points, in second is Bouwmeester (NED) also on 33 points, in third is Murphy (IRL) on 34 points and in fourth is Van Acker (BEL) also on 34 points.

Ger Owens and Scott Flanigan are also on a rest day. They lie 25th overall in the 470 class. Racing will resume tomorrow.

James Espey has finished competing at the 2012 Olympics. He ended the competition in 36th place in the Laser class.

The 49ers and 470 will continue fleet racing tomorrow. Sailing action starts at 12 noon in Weymouth. The Laser Radial medal race will be at 13.00 and will be covered live on RTE ISA website